Tractor



Jul 8,1924. 1,501,025

A. C. MASON TRACTOR Filed March 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ArtbupQMaqcmQ ATTORNEYS Jul 8, 1924. v

A. C. MASON TRACTOR Filed March 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E II July 8,1924. 1,501,025

7 A. C. MASON TRACTOR Filed March 22 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 A. C. MASONTRACTOR Filed March 22, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5] vwewtz Artkuv masonPatented July 8, 1924.

tastes stares iaaaa eaves ARTHUR C. MASON, 0F FLINT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORTO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORA- 'I'ION, OF DETROIT, BIICHIGAN, A CORPORATIONOF DELAWARE.

TRACTOR.

Application filed March 22, 1920. Serial No. 367,935.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. MASON, citizen of the United States, and aresident of Flint, Genesee County, State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the followingis a specification.

The present invention relates to tractors, particularly to that class ofsuch devices wherein the frame is made up primarily of the engine casingand the transmission cas ing, and it results in advantages that may beconsidered mainly under two heads, first, added strength of thecompleted apparatus, and, second, case of machining and assembling ofparts.

Under the provides a transmission casing comprising an upper sectioncantilevered over the rear axle to effectively carry the load, andhaving its front end stiffened or trussed by a transverse web whichserves also to separate the frame into two chambers corresponding to theposition of those parts with which oils of different grades are used. Inthe preferred construction, the lower section meets the upper section inan inclined joint which passes through the rear axle and whichterminates rearwardlyzof the front end of the upper section, thuspermitting the latter to be made in the form of a barrel that, especillywhen stiffened by the web above re-' ferred to, forms an exceedinglystrong waist line construction.

Under the second heading, the change speed gearing (which is of thetransversely extending countershaft type) and the rear axle areassembled in the upper section of the transmission casing while thelatter is inverted for the purpose, so that all such parts. may beadjusted and brought into proper relation to each other to form anoperatively complete unit, after which the lower section is boltedthereon to close the gear chamber. The method of assembly thus outlinedis believed to be broadly new.

Another feature of the invention resides in mounting the housing for theinterlocking devices for the gear shifting rods on the side of thetransmission casin in such manner that the opening there or is locatednear the neutral axis of the transmission.

casing, which results in a stifier frame than would be secured were theinterlocking unit applied to the top of the casing.

first heading, the invention The invention also provides a ruggedsupport for the flywheel end of the main countershaft. Again, itprovides a transmission gearing wherein end thrusts on bearings aresubstantially eliminated.

1 In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view showing the frame. Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section showing the gearing. Fig. 3 is a plan viewcorresponding to Fig. 1'. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through thetransmission on the plane of the rear axle. Fig. 5 is a section on line5-5 of Fig. 2 showing the reverse gearing. Fig. 6 is a section throughthe reverse gear shaft. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section showing the gearshifting and interlocking devices, the parts being in neutral position.

The rear or driving wheels and the front or steering wheelsmay be of anysuitable construction, and the latter are pivoted to swing about thedivided ends of the front axle 3 in the ordinary way.

The engine casing 5, with its clutch housing extension 6, thetransmission casing formed of the two main elements 7 and 8, which arebolted to 'ether along an'upwardly and rearwardly inclined plane at 9,and

the axle housing 10, bolted to the transmission casing at 11, form themain frame of the vehicle; and this frame is centrally pivotallyconnected at 12 to the front axle, as will be readily understood. Thusthe essential frame elements for the power plant are utilized also toform a frame having a support at three points. The engine may be of anysuitable construction, it being preferred, however, to arrange thecylinders vertically in order that the tractor may be compact, and alsoto permit free access to the cylinders and valves when the head casting20 is removed. 'As indicated at 21 and 22, the crankshaft and connectingrods may be of the usual type; and the former terminates in a suitableclutch construction 23 whereby power is transmitted at will to the mainshaft 24, therear end of which is carried in a bearing 25-mounted on across wall 26 of the transmission casing. I

Mounted on the rear end of the shaft 24 is a bevel gear 28 which mesheswith a second bevel gear 29 on a main cross shaft 30, one end of whichmay be journaled in a ball bearing 31, whereas the opposite end ispreferably carried in two roller 32,

i gear rings 46 and 47 riveted inplace theregroove 80.

33 spaced apart as by means of a sleeve 34 and themselves supported bybosses 35-36 offset oppositely from the body of the detachable bearinghousing 37. Thus a strong support well adapted to carry the weight ofthe external belt pulley, brake drum, or other auxiliary powertransmitting device or rotating element- 38 is formed. It will be notedthat the pulley is driven as a flywheel Whenever the shaft 24 turns.

The shaft 30 is splined or otherwise formed at 40 to support and drivethe low speed gear 41 and the high speed gear 42 that may beinterchangeably shifted along the shaft to engage the correspondingteeth 43 and 44 of a gear which is preferably built up from the hub 45and low and high speed on. 48 designates the corresponding transverselyextending countershaft, the end portions of which are carried in theroller bearings 49-50 and bearing housings or bosses 51-52, the housing51 preferably being offset outwardly and the housing 52 being offsetinwardly from the corresponding side walls of the casing element 7.Adjacent to gear 45-46-47, the countershaft 48 carries a wide faced gear53 of small pitch which drives the ring ear of a differential, said ringgear preferaily being built up from the oppositely disposed hub sectionsor halves 55-56. to which the gear ring 57 is boltedat 58. The hubelements 55-56 are carried in roller bearings 59-60 mounted in extensionflanges 10 of the axle housings 10. Any suitable differential gearing,preferably the bevel pinions 61, carried by the spindles 62 of thespider 63, and bevel gears 64 splined on the ends of the axle sections65-66 is employed.

When the gear 41 is in mesh with the teeth 43 (the gear 42 then beingout of mesh h with the teeth 44) the vehicle is driven forwardly at lowspeed; likewise high speed forward is obtained by sliding the gear 41away from the teeth 43 and putting the gear 42 in mesh with the teeth44, and the vehicle remains stationary when the gears 41 and 42 are inthe neutral position shown. Again, on shifting the gear 41 furthertoward the bevel gear 29, the former is brought into mesh with the teeth70, Fig. 6, of a reversing gear 71, which is rigid with a smaller gear72 arranged to constantly mesh-with the low speed teeth 43, so thatreverse movement is secured. In the particular construction shown, bothgears 71-72 turn on bushings 73 carried by a non-rotatable shaft 74which is supported in bosses 75-76 on the casing element 7 and the shaft74 is held in proper position by means of a set screw 78 which passesthrough a bushing 79 and into a Should it be desiredto remove the shaft,the set screw is withdrawn and the shaft slipped out endwise. A tubularspacer Yokes 7 89-90 attached to 81 is preferably provided for properlypositioning the gears with reference to the casing.

Various means may be employed for shifting and interlocking the gears 41and 42, one such device appearing in Figs. 1 and 7. As indicatedtherein, the transversely slidable shifter rods 82-83 may be actuated byan ordinary universally mounted lever 84 whose end may be swung intoeither one of two notches 85-86, formed in corresponding fittings 87-88fixed on the shifter rods. the rods, project 1nto grooves 91-92 in thegears 41-42 in the ordinary way so that either gear, but not both, maybe selected and shifted at will from a neutral position in which thenotches '85-86 register with one another. Formed in the sides of theshifter rod 82 are notches 93, 93', 93' and 96, Fig. 7, and like notches95, 95 and 94 are formed in the rod 83, the notches 93, 93', 93" ceivethe spring pressed retainer detent or plunger 97, and the notches 95,95' being similarly arranged to receive the spring pressed detent'98. Inthe preferred construction, the detents 97-98 are guided in plugs 99threaded into the detachable housing 100 and provided with lock niits101. It will be noted that the housing encloses the ends of the shifterrods, and that the latter may be lubricated upon removing the oilerplugs 102.

The housing and associated parts form a compact detachable unitaryconstruction which facilitates manufacture andassembly and which permitsready inspection and repairs, it being observed also that the shifterrods may be removed lengthwise after the yoke pins 105 are removed,through the relatively large opening 104 over which the ousing ispositioned; again, by positioning the detachable housing on the lateralside wall (as distinguished from the upper wall) of the barrel-liketransmission casing, the metal of the integral upper wall acts moreeffectively in strengthening the frame to thus form a beam capable oftaking the very heavy stresses incident to the service.

en the parts are in the position shown, the gears 41 and 42 are inneutral; the rod 83 being shifted to register the notch 95 with thedetent 98, gear 42 meshes with the teeth 41 and high speed forward isobtained. In like manner, either low speed forward or reverse is securedby shifting the rod 82 to register the notch 93 or 93", as the case maybe, with the detent 97, and it will be seen that the balls 103 andnotches 94-96 prevent movement of either bar except when the other baris in neutral position.

It will be observed that the wall 26, besides greatly stiflening thetransmission casing in its barrel-like section forwardly of the beingadapted to refirst compartment and heavy oil in the second, inaccordance with the demands of the corresponding moving parts. The oilmay be introduced by removing the plugs 105-106.

The frame, as a Whole, is exceedingly strong for the weight of materialinvolved, and in this connection it is pointed out that the bosses orextensions 7' and 7" opposite the gears 4244 as well as the thickenedsections and bosses adjacent the opposite ends of the shafts 30-48greatlystifl'en the frame against both vertical and horizontal stressesin the vicinity of said shafts and that the flaring front end 107 of thetransmission casing performs a like function with reference to the jointwith the engine casing.

1. In a self propelled vehicle a transmission casing including anintegral finglepiece upper section and a lower section, a rear axlehoused in said casing, said sections meeting each other in a joint whichsubstantially intersects the axis of said axle and which terminates somedistanceforwardl v of said axle but rearwardly of the front end of saidtransmission casing, and changespeed gearing assembled within said uppersection for driving said axle, said gearing being assembled in saidupper section, the front end of said transmission casing being open andannular in form, and having means whereby it may be secured to the rearend of another casing to thereby provide a vehicle frame.

2. In a self propelled vehicle having adriving axle, an integralsingle-piece transmission casing barrel-like in cross-section, saidcasing including an upper section which forms the full cross-section ofthe casingat its forward end. said casing also including a lower sectionmeeting the uppensection in an inclined joint which substantially passesthrough the driving axle. the front endof said transmission casinghaving a flange extending about the same, whereby said casing may befastened to a second caslng.

3. In a self propelled. vehicle including an. engine casing and atransmission casing detachably connected together intermediate betweenthe ends,of said frame, and which casings are substantially annular in 7cross section'at the joint where they meet and are connected with oneanother, a rear axle and a difierential housedin the transmissioncasing, said transmission casing includingan upper section and a lowerSQCt-IOD meetlng each other in an inclined joint which passessubstantially through the axis of the axle and terminates rearwardlyfrom the front end of said transmission casing, said differentialincluding a ring gear,-and change speed gearing, including atransversely extending countershaft mounted in said upper section, fordriving said ring gear from the engine.

4. In a self propelled vehicle, a transmission casing having an openforward end, and a flange whereby it may be secured to a second casing,said transmission casing including an integral single-piece uppersection and a lower section, a driving axle housed in said casing, amaintransversely extending countershaft housed in said upper section, asecond transversely extendin countershaft spaced therefrom, change speedgearing carried by said countershafts, said casing sections meeting eachother in an inclined joint that substantially intersects both the axisof the axle and the axis of the sec- 0nd countershaft.

5. In a self propelling vehicle, a transmission casing including anupper section and a lower section, a driving axle housed in said casing.a main transversely extending countershaft housed in said upper section,a second transversely extending countershaft spaced therefrom, changespeed gearing carried by said countershafts, said casing sectionsmeeting each other in an inclined joint that substantially intersectsboth the axis of the axle andthe axis of the second countershaft, andwhich terminates some distance from that end of said casing which ismost remote from the axle, said transmission cas- 1ng being open at itsfront end and substantially annular in cross section, and havlng aflange whereby it may be fastened to the 1 rear end of a second casingof similar form.

6. In a self-propelled vehicle, a transmission casing including an uppersection and a lower section between which said axle is housed,.speedchanging mechanism for driving said'axle said mechanism including a maintransversely extending countershaft housed and supported by said uppersection,

a second countershaft housed in and positioned between the two sections,gearing associated with said countershafts and axle for driving the axleselectively at different speeds, and reverse gearing housed in saidupper section and supported thereby, whereby the assembling of thevarious parts is facilitated.

7. In a self propelling vehicle, a main frame including a transmissioncasing comprising an upper section and a lower section, a divided rearaxle housed in said casing, a

main shaft extending longitudinally of the transmission casing at thefront end thereof, a main countershaft driven by the main shaft andextending transversely of the vehicle in substantially the samehorizontal plane as the rear axle, a second countershaft rearwardly andbelow the main countershaft, change speed gearing on said countershaftsthrough which the rear axle is driven axle a 5 at a selected speedrelatively to the main shaft.

countershaft, and reverse gearing associated In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature. with the change speed gearing rotatable ARTHUR C,MASON.

about an axis above that of the main countershaft, said casing beingdivided on a joint nd the axis of the second counterwhich substantiallyintersects the axis of the 10 v

